System for ventilating tunnels.



No. 704,808. l 'Patented July l5`, [902.

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SYSTEM FGB-VENTILTING TUNNELS.

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JOHN KRESIS','O`F NEW ROCHELLE, YORK.

SYSTEM-FOR VENTILATING TUNNELS.

SPECIFICATION forming'fpart of Y Letters :Patent No. 704,808, dated July15, 1902. Application inea December 4, 1901. santi No. 84,692." stimatiTo @ZZ whom it may concern'.-`

Be it known that I, JOHN KRESS, of New Rochelle, in the county orWestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new' and usefulImprovements in Systems of Ventilating'Tunnels, VAof Whichthe followingis avv tunnel; and for this purposethe invention' consists of a systemof Ventilating tunnels which comprises a horizontalpartition formed ofstationary guide-plates supported on brack-- ets attached to the wallsof the tunneh'springcushioned slide-plates arranged on said guideplatesand provided With'contact plateso'rv iianges at adjacent longitudinaledges, keepers for the spring-cushioned slide-plates, an extension-stackfor the smoke-stack of thel locomotive, said stack beingprovided withsuitableVprotecting-plates where it enters between the contact plates orL flanges oftlef spring-cushioned slide-plates whenthe train ispassingthrough the tunnel, `the spring-U cushioned slide-platesat theingoing and out'- going ends of the tunnel having adj acentcornerscurved outwardly,so as to permit the entrance of the extension-stack,and said springcushioned slide-plates being of suitable length in orderto open andV close quickly, so that the,

smoke and noxiousgases which arecoll'ected in the upper section'of thetunnel'cannot escape into the lower part as the extension-stack passesbetween them.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a verticallongitudinal section of a tunnel, showing a locomotive in the same, soas to illustrate my improved system of ventilation. Fig.' 2 is ahorizontal section of the tunnel on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an endelevation'of 'the tunnel at the left-hand side of Fig. l. Figs. 4 and 5are vertical transverse sections, respectively, on lines 4 l and 5 5,Fig. 2, showing in part the horizontal partition with thesupporting-brackets, the guideplates, and the slide-plates, by which theupper part of the tunnel is shut off from the lower part; land Fig. 6 isa detail perspective v iewgshowing the, connection of the contactiangesof Vtwo adjacent slide-plates.

` i Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding part's.

In my improved system of Ventilating tunnels, seas to` prevent theinconveniences arising from the smoke and gases delivered from thelocomotive, Idivide the tunnel by means of a horizontal partition-Wallinto a larger lower section and a smaller upper section. Thishorizontal{partition-wall is sufciently high to permitthe free passageof cars through the tunnel. The horizontal partition-Wall is formedoftwo symmetrical sections which are supportedv bybrackets that areattached at suitable distancesfrom each other to the side wallsfof thetunnel. `Fach section of the hori- .zontal partition- Wall consists of astationary guide-plate B,which ispreferably sheet metal, attached byscrews, rivets, or otherwise to the horizontal arms of the brackets b.On the horizontal guide-plates o are l guided spring-A cushionedslide-plates- @,Which are held in -positiomby means,v ofaukiliaryguide-plates jBjthat are made, .likethe stationary guideplatesB, of sheet metaland are supported on longitudinal ledges b',that areiirmly secured to the stationary guide-plates B. The auxiliaryguide-plates B- are provided at suitable .distances fromeach other withforwardly-projecting keepers B2, Vwhich extend over thespring-ausilionedAslide-plates, so as to prevent ltheraising ofthe samelwhen they are in forward position, said keepers being made in the form*of'rib'ahywhich the strength of the auxiliary guideplates is increased.The transverse edges of adjacent spring-cushioned slide-platesinterlockwitheach other, per- Y mitting at thesame time, however, the freelateral movement of the same. Between the keep ers are arranged on thespring-cushioned 95 slide-plates and the auxiliary guide-plates the lugse, between which and in suitable recesses h2 in the edges of theauxiliary guideplates B (shown in Fig.. 2) are arranged helicalcushion-springs f, that serve to return 10e the slide-plates C intotheir normal position after they have been moved inwardly into the spacebetween the stationary and auxiliary guide-plates. The lugs e and thecushionsprings farepreferablyarranged near the ends of the slide-platesC, so as toimparta uniform pressure on the same. To the adjacentlongitudinal edges of the spring-cushioned slideplates C are providedupright contact plates or fianges g, that are pivotally secured to theslide-plates by the centrally-arranged anglebrackets g2 on thecontact-plates, and the ends of the contact-plates are connected by theinterlocking joints g', as shownin Fig. 6, so that when a pair ofslide-plates is moved in lateral direction the jointed ends of theadjacent slide-plates follow the motion of the first slide-plates untildirect pressure is exerted on the contact-anges of the second pair of.slide-plates. The slide-plates and their contact-flanges at the ingoingand outgoing ends of the tunnels are rounded off, as shown in Fig. 2, soas to facilitate the entrance of the smoke-stack of the locomotive.

The locomotive L is provided, in addition to the ordinary smoke-stack,with an extension-piece L', which is secured in position by suitablebraces Z, the upper ends of'which are attached to a ring-shaped band onthe extension-piece IX, While the lower ends are attached in anysuitable manner to the frame of the boiler. The extension-piece L of thesmoke-stack is preferably provided at both sides with shoes or plates m,which serve to receive the wear incident to the friction of the flangesg, as the extension-stack passes between them. These plates or shoes mare preferably bolted together at the front and rear of theextension-piece L' and can be replaced from time to time as they areworn out by use.

The tunnel is provided at suitable intervals with uptakes U, throughwhich the circulation of air is established from the upper section ofthe tunnel, so as to conduct olf the smoke and gases that are deliveredinto said upper chamber from the smoke-stack of the locomotive.

When the train is entering the tunnel, the extension-piece L of thesmoke-stack enters between the rounded-off ends of the slideplates C,forces them aside, and then passes through between the contact-flangesof the slide-plates. The slide-plates being springcushioned they closeup immediately as soon as the extension-piece has passed one pair ofslide-plates. In this manner the extensionpieces leave only a smallelongated opening in front or in back of the extension-stack, accordingto its position relative to slideplates, as shown in Fig. 2, so thatcomparatively little smoke and gas can pass into the larger portion ofthe tunnel below the horizontal partition. By the ventilationestablished in the upper arched chamber of the tunnel by means of openends and the uptakes arranged at suitable distances the I smoke andgases are gradually carried off, while the cinders are collected on theupper part of the horizontal partition, from which they can be removedfrom time to time by means of openings formed by removable horizontalplates at certain distances from each other, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 2.

By the arrangement described the-tunnel can be ventilated insuch amanner that the serious annoyance which is at present experienced bypassengers owing tothe obnoxious air in the tunnels is entirelyobviated, and likewise the necessity of closing the windows and doors,by which a circulation of the atmosphere is obtained, especially in hotweather, is also dispensed with. My improved system of ventilation canbe readily applied to the tunnels at present in use and forms therebyacomparatively inexpensive means of removing the objectionable featuresof the same. The horizontal partition acts at the same time asanoise-muffier, by which the annoyance caused by the rumbling noise ofthe engine passing through the tunnel is diminished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The combination,with a tunnel, of a horizontalpartition formed of stationary guideplates supported on the side wallsof the tunnel, auxiliary guide-plates, spring-cushioned slide-platesprovided with upright contact plates or flanges at their adjacentlongitudinal edges, and keepers for said slide-plates, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination,with a tunnel, of a horizontal partition located onthe upper part of the same and composed of two longitudinal sectionswhich are formed of stationary guideplates, auxiliary guide-plates,spring-cushioned slide-plates guided by said auxiliary guide-plates,said slide-plates being provided with upright contact flanges or platesat their adjacent longitudinal edges, and keepers proj ecting from theupper auxiliary guide-plates over the spring-cushioned slide-plates,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination,with a tunnel provided with uptakes at a suitabledistance from each other, of a horizontal partition formed of twolongitudinal sections provided with guideplates and spring-cushionedslide-plates, said slide-plates having upright contact plates or iiangesat. their adjacent longitudinal edges,

and interlocking joints connecting the ends of said contact-plates,substantially as set forth.

4. In a system of Ventilating tunnels, the combination, with bracketsattached to the side walls of the tunnel, of horizontal mainguide-plates attached to said brackets, auxiliary guide-plates supportedon said main guide-plates and provided with inwardlyprojectingslide-plates, and spring-cushioned slide-plates guided between the mainand anxmy invention I have signed my naine in presiliary guide-plates,the adjacent edges of the ence of two snbscribingwitnesses. slide-platesbeing provided with upright con tact flanges o1l plates, andinterlocking joints JQHN KRESS' 5 at the adjacent ends of saideontaet-anges, Nitnessesz substantially as set forth. *PAUL* GOEPEL,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as C. BRADWAY.

